@SXSW2021
It's here! We’re talking with people about the fun, the purpose, and the impact of their presence at this year's SXSW.
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 0:35
SXSW Speaker Jonathan Quarles - Author, Entrepreneur, Investor, Global Connector
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Jonathan Quarrels is the founder and CEO of Quartz Water Source, Inc. Also a serial entrepreneur, investor, bestselling author of Making Dollars While Making Change, a Global connector, and also also a proud Flint, Michigan, native. I don't know if there's anything that you can't do, Jonathan. I love it. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to get to talk to you more about what you do. And also your session at south by Southwest
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 0:31
So to get us started, I would love to talk about your book making dollars while making change the playbook for game changers. And I'm so curious how this book is came to be, how you first knew that you absolutely needed to write this book, what the writing process was like for you and what the journey has been like since you published it. Justin, this past year
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 1:17
So I'm wondering for those listening out there who are either at the beginning of their entrepreneurship journey or maybe a little further along, how do you recommend that those of us who come from communities where we maybe don't know someone that can help us get started with equity or are part of communities in which that is easily accessible? How do you recommend they get their foot in the door and begin their journey so they can start their first business and hopefully join with you making dollars while making change
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 1:25
And it is such a beautiful example of using entrepreneurship and the power of entrepreneurship as a force for social good. I'd love to hear a little bit about how you first got the idea for Quartz Water Source. And if you have any words of wisdom or advice to share for folks like me who have an entrepreneurial and creative spirit and also are incredibly passionate about environmental justice and addressing environmental racism, which we are seeing everywhere around the world, how do you find where you can make that social impact
Jonathan Quarles
@JQuarles12 · 0:07
Thanks so much Beau. I really do appreciate the opportunity to share on Swells platform. Thanks
Jonathan Quarles
@JQuarles12 · 0:36
Yeah. So I felt that there was a sea of entrepreneurship books, but none that really discussed the value of the intersection between business entrepreneurship with social impact. And this is actually surprising because this is a growing space
Jonathan Quarles
@JQuarles12 · 1:32
So in many ways that's actually my story. I always tell people in a joke a new way. I'm a little country boy from Flint, Michigan. I come from very humble beginnings and wasn't really exposed to things like investments them until College. I still can remember the first time I heard my College classmates discussing portfolios and legitimately. I really thought that they were talking about three ring binders
Jonathan Quarles
@JQuarles12 · 1:33
Corse Water Source was born out of the flintwater crisis in 2014. I had family and friends that were affected, which made this very personal for me. And during the crisis, I remember seeing many businesses and personalities come in, try to make money on the back end of this problem. So I felt like I couldn't sit on the sidelines. And so I started Quartz Water Source
Bowie Rowan
@bowie · 1:26
I'm really looking forward to continuing to follow your work and your evolving journey. Thank you for taking the time and I look forward to more conversations like these and for those of you who are listening, I'm going to link to JQ session at south by Southwest again here. Definitely make sure to take the time to check it out and happy South By southwest
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